


Fine Line

by Orange_Sunset_12



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Character Death, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Feels, Flustered! Zelda, Hurt/Comfort, Kakariko Village, Link (Legend of Zelda) Needs a Hug, Post-Breath of the Wild, Sad Link (Legend of Zelda), adding tags as I go, knight link, seeing impa and zelda in the demo just hit me right in the feels
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:34:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27356581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Orange_Sunset_12/pseuds/Orange_Sunset_12
Summary: A small collection of Zelink stories inspired by Harry Styles' album «Fine Line».
Relationships: Impa & Link (Legend of Zelda), Impa/Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Link & Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Zelink - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 60





	1. I'm Hopeless, Broken, So You Wait For Me in the Sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few years after the eradication of the Calamity, Zelda and Link try to cope when someone they hold dear in their hearts passes away. Luckily, they have each other to hold on to.

The warm, soft summer breeze blowing against her skin is enough to dry her slightly teary cheeks. The silence in the air allows Zelda to finally relax, and with no one around, she grants herself the feeling of grief. The tree trunk she's currently sitting against has become comfortable, in a way, as her eyes stare at the large boulder that stands out slightly from the many others surrounding it. Where Impa, her once royal advisor, her best friend, now rests peacefully.

Sure it had been expected. One hundred years and a few more have flown by since the Great Calamity, and Zelda knew Impa was considered old when they finally met a few years ago. However, a loss is never an easy thing to face, and this is how Zelda is able to manage: talking to Impa, sometimes in silence, other times not, and remembering every good thing she has done for everyone throughout her long, eventful life.

Paya was the one to give Zelda and Link the bitter news. They knew, somehow, when the usual timid, bright young Sheikah descended the stairs of Impa's abode and did not even blush when Link eyed her directly. Then, the words left her lips and the three didn't fight the embrace that suddenly became a necessity. It was Dorian, after long minutes of watching the trio mourning from his post outside the humble house that took matter into his own hands and walked to them, providing as much comfort as he could muster

Zelda remembers that night vividly. The Village was heavy, silent, and it felt like everyone was fighting back tears. The darkness of the night was occasionally broken by the few fireflies that roamed through the pathways and houses as if Impa herself was trying to say that it was alright, that she did not want her people to mourn her loss.

Now, a couple of years later, the village has somewhat returned to its former glory, the shops full of people as well as the pathways filled with merchants and travelers. However, every Sunday, when they celebrate the lives of the ones who aren't there anymore, they are sure to include Lady Impa in their prayers.

Zelda heaves out a heavy sigh, still facing the boulder in front of her, her mind full with thoughts and recollections of her friend. She doesn't even notice when the sound of light footsteps on the grass breaks the silence of the night. "Hey,"

She glances up, her eyes meeting the ocean blue ones she's been looking at for the past two years, every single day. "Hey..."

He sits next to her in silence, pushing his knees to his chest like her, his hands resting atop them comfortably. Link risks a glance at her, and upon noticing the dried tears in her rosy cheeks, a contemplative sigh leaves his lips immediately. Tentatively, his hand reaches for her shoulder, where he places it with a soothing rub. He knows that Zelda isn't completely healed by the wounds of her past, and seeing her this way opens a box inside his heart that tells him he must protect her at all costs, even when no imminent danger is in sight. Because sometimes the real danger lies in ourselves. It's our duty to tame it into something we can live with, something we can take comfort in. 

Her head tilts to the side to stare at him, still rested on her crossed arms, and both stay that way, just finding comfort in each other's presence.

"I miss her..." It's a mere whisper, though Link hears it anyway.

"I know... I miss her, too." He reassures comfortingly. "But I'm sure she's at peace, wherever she might be."

"I hope so..." The silence of the night embraces them once again, bringing a sense of comfort and consoling to their aching hearts.

Moments later, Zelda finds herself leaning on him, and Link lets her, her head pressed against his shoulder as his hand embraces her soothingly. Though the circumstance, Zelda still finds it funny when both have such moments of intimacy as if they were in their own little bubble and no one was allowed entrance while they were that way. Both have come a long way since their cold days before the Great Calamity, and Zelda is more than delighted to finally say that Link has saved her in more ways than one and that without him her life wouldn't be the same.

A soft smile spreads itself on her lips slowly."You know, she helped me a lot when it came to  _ you _ ."

Link looks down at her, slightly puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Well... you know I couldn't stand you before." 

"I'm honored of having caused such feeling on you, Princess." Link teases, adding a tone of sarcasm to his joyous voice.

Zelda giggles, giving him a small nudge on the abdomen as chuckles leave his chest. "Idiot..."

As their laughter dies down, Zelda continues. "Trust me, Impa would often be the only living thing to prevent me from snapping at you as soon as you stepped foot within a 3 feet radius of me." 

Zelda remembers, with clarity, when she would vent to the Sheikah and receive words of wisdom from her:  _ "Don't worry, my child. I'm sure you and that knight of yours will get along just fine. Just give him a chance."  _ The Princess wouldn't understand the truth behind Impa's words, then. Now, Zelda realizes that, once again, the Sheikah had been right all along.

"I guess I owe Impa my life then." Link voices, his tone serious, though Zelda can sense humor in his words too.

Her smile falls, the meaning of his words finally sinking in. "I believe  _ we all _ do."

They stay in silence once again, Link paying attention to how Zelda's fingers are playing with his absentmindedly atop his crossed legs, how her gaze is now focused on the rock in front of them once again. Even though he thinks she's beautiful in every possible way, Link feels in himself the will to make her smile again, to  _ see _ her smile again, and so he starts. "Does that mean you stand me now?"

"What?" Zelda looks up at him, eyebrows furrowed in confusion, yet a hint of a smile forms on the corners of her lips.

"You said you didn't stand me before. Does that mean you stand me now?" He offers her a smile then, so genuine, so  _ pure _ , that Zelda has no other option than to smile as big as he is.

"Hmm... Let me think..." She teases, moving so she is facing him completely from the front, their bodies parallel to Impa's resting place. "I think... that maybe I'm starting to stand you, yes."

"Starting, uh?" He retorts, their hands still joined on the space between their bodies. "At least it's  _ something _ !"

Also with a big, gorgeous smile, Zelda doesn't hesitate to lean on him again, back to the comfort of his arms, and suddenly her heart is not so heavy, so mournful, and instead, they're enjoying their time alive, because it's the present moment that matters, after all.

And Impa, who's watching them from the skies, chuckles in pure joy.

She had been right, after all.

There's nothing those two cannot do if they have each other to lean on.


	2. Breathe Me In, Breathe Me Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda never thought watching the royal knights train would be so entertaining... Nor did she think she would end up seeing something she wouldn't dream of seeing either.
> 
> Alternate summary: Zelda gets flustered very easily...

She watches silently as he swings the training sword up and down, left to right, his movements always firm and concise.

It's charming, in a way, how his hands are capable of moving so fluently around the training ground he is currently in, imaginary enemies being slain by his sharp blade in a matter of seconds.

She watches from the small bridge that connects her room to the study the way his brow furrows in determination, focus, courage. How his eyes glow under the scrutinizing brightness of the sun, how his chest rises and falls with even breaths.

It's incredibly distracting, Zelda notices with a furrowed eyebrow, watching Link train perfected movements with his sword so easily. So... effortlessly. That's probably one of the reasons why she despises him so much.

Of course, she doesn't exactly hate him. No. Hate is a powerful word one should only use in extreme situations. Even less when it is felt towards someone. However, Zelda is sure the feeling she has regarding this gifted boy comes really close to that. It only got worse when he was appointed her personal knight and she couldn't even let a breath out without him staring at her with those damn blue eyes. So beautiful, yet so infuriating blue eyes. She wouldn't mind, really, if he weren't so stoic. Not a single word leaves his mouth when she rambles during their travels, nor a thought leaves his lips when they stop for the night and sleep with the soft embers of a campfire. He doesn't talk and she's slowly losing hope he will ever open up to her.

But why would I want him to open up to me?

Sure she believes he'd only come this far because the Goddess had gifted him with some kind of divine power and knowing such a thing only adds up to the resilience she feels towards him. But truth be told, he's one of the very few people who listen to her and never judges, no matter what. And some deep part of her is thirsty to know why.

______

It has become some sort of a habit, somehow. Early in the morning, right after eating her breakfast, Zelda finds a hidden spot near the training field to watch the knights train. It's usually filled with strong men and women during the course of the day, but being an early bird has its privileges. Only a few train when the sun is still rising and Zelda finds herself being amused about Link being one of them, every single day.  
She should have expected as much, coming from the one whose soul had been chosen by the Goddess. Yet, she had been chosen as well and the sealing power gifted to her is still dormant inside of her.

Her thoughts wander for a few more minutes, still obscured from the sights of the knights by the tall edge of the small bridge that connects her room to her study, when her eye catches his frame. Perspiration fills his skin where the eyebrows knit in the middle of his forehead. The blonde bangs of his hair stick to his forehead, the sideburns stuck to his temples. He’s incredibly sweaty for still being so early in the morning, and when in a swift moment he discards his training shirt, throwing it carelessly into a corner on the field, Zelda can’t understand why in the name of Hylia her heart skips several beats.

Sure Link is a handsome man. She knows how the gossip around the castle goes, and she pays attention to how almost every woman and some men goggle their eyes at him when he walks through them in the kitchen or any of the castle hallways. She’s aware of his excellent physique, and his skill while slaying monsters is not something she forgets easily. Link is pretty, she does not doubt it whatsoever. And the way her eyes roam around the muscles on his back as he flexes them is proof of just that. 

She shakes her head once she realizes what she is doing. Her eyes turn away from him, making sure that nobody has seen her during her daydream. It would have been a scandal if someone had seen the Princess scoping out the knights in training.

She only hopes with all her might that Link hadn’t noticed of her distant presence, nor the way her cheeks turned bright red when her eyes caught sight of his body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This came up in my head randomly so I just hade to write it up somewhere. I hope you enjoyed!


	3. You Don't Have To Say You Love Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the number of suitors starts to become too much, Zelda finds refuge in none other than Link.  
> In other words, Zelda wants to do whatever she wants, even if for only one night.
> 
> Lucky for her, Link has never been a fan of formalities, anyway.

To say she is done with all and everything is definitely an understatement.

With the Calamity roaring near, the King decided it best to throw a banquet with all important people and all the champions as well, as if to claim that they are doomed the moment the Calamity strikes, and therefore must celebrate the life they have until it's too late. All because his daughter hasn't fulfilled her destiny yet, hasn't done the one thing everyone expects her to do.

His daughter, who is currently on the eleventh dance with a man she doesn't know, nor is interested in the least to know of his uncomplicated life, or about his accomplishments as an individual. She is simply tired. Her feet ache from the incessant dancing she's found herself in a couple of hours ago when a young man had politely asked her for a dance. She's tired of everyone looking at her as if she could break at any moment, as if she should be ashamed of herself because out of every soul that resides in Hyrule, she's the only one that hasn't done what she was meant to do. She's tired of seeing people smiling and giggling with a little bit too much alcohol on their systems next to her and the King. She's tired of seeing everyone accepting defeat because of her.

The music changes and Zelda excuses herself from the arms of the young man in front of her, leaving him with a polite smile she manages simply out of sympathy. There is no way she will be thinking about courting someone when she has a whole lot more things to think about at the time. Also, she has no intention to marry any of these ego inflicted men, for she doesn't need a man to be strong. 

Her eyes scan the crowd, searching for someone who can aid her and maybe prevent any more candidates to speak to her.

She finds Revali first, his beak moving fast as he converses with one of the Captains of the Royal Guard. She decided she won't interrupt him. Then, Mipha catches her attention, and she feels a smile forming on her lips after finally finding someone who is just as bored as her, but that hope vanishes the moment she sees Mipha engaged in a conversation with Daruk, who had been hidden behind a pillar before she saw him. Finally, her eyes catch the sight of Urbosa's red hair, and she finds it in herself that she does not care if she interrupts her conversation with someone, for a man is now looking at Zelda and she can sense his feet moving towards her, and so she flees.

She directs her gaze to the floor, in an attempt to hide from anyone, and makes her way towards Urbosa, keeping her eyes low as she stops in front of the Gerudo Champion.

"Hello, Little Bird," Urbosa greets, her warm voice engulfing Zelda with reassurance and care. "You seem tired. Take a break for some moments. I'm sure no one will interrupt you while you talk with us."

Zelda nods, gratefully, only then noticing the plural on Urbosa's sentence. 

She lifts her gaze, only to lock them with his beautiful blue ones. He's dressed in the garments of the Royal Guard, which she recognizes fits him rather well. 

"Oh, Link, I'm so sorry. I did not realize you were speaking to Urbosa. My apologies."

"No worries, Princess." He smiles softly, and Zelda could only smile in response. She's simply relieved she has double the protection now.

"So tell me, Princess, has any of these gentlemen caught your eye?" Urbosa teases, a smirk appearing on her plump lips as she places one hand on the Princess's shoulder for comfort. When Zelda answers her question with narrowed eyes and a fierce gaze, the hall is suddenly filled with Urbosa's loud laughter, though no one seems to hear her with the music playing and chatter around the Sanctum. "You, Little Bird, never fail to amaze me."

"You know I never enjoyed these feasts, Urbosa." Sparing a look around her to the Sanctum full of people, Zelda happily notices that no one is after her...  _ yet _ . "And my feet are killing me! I just hope no one comes asking for a dance again soon. I'm sure I'd flop on the ground if I start dancing again."

With a soft smile still on her lips, Urbosa lifts her hand from Zelda's shoulder, now giving a friendly tap on Link's. "I'll need to go, now. It's getting late and there is still a long journey ahead to Gerudo Town. I'll speak with the King, but I trust you can take care of the Princess." She winks subtly after Link nods his response.

"Are you going, already?" Zelda asks, somewhat disappointed, "I thought you'd stay for a bit longer."

"I would love to, Little Bird, but I must get back in case anything happens in town. The attacks from the Yiga Clan are increasing, and I can't let my people alone. Not yet." With a tight hug between the two, Urbosa takes the opportunity to speak some words to Zelda. "You're in good hands."

Urbosa then excuses herself, leaving the two to themselves.

"Were they that bad?" Link asks, a sorrowful grin on his lips as he watches Zelda look around the Sanctum.

"Not bad..." Zelda answers, her eyes finding his bright ones in a millisecond. Her heart skips a beat upon noticing how caringly he's looking at her. He's looking at her like she means something and that was one of the things those men didn't do. They looked at her with sadness, stigma, as if she was only a means to an end. But not Link. Link always  _ looked _ at her. Truly  _ looked _ at her. And suddenly, words cross her brain that has her shivering from head to toe:  _ But none like you _ . She would never say that to him, however, so she continues with a playful tone in her voice. "But I'd rather be doing anything else than listening to their ego talk instead of their mind."

Link chuckles discreetly, his eyes glinting with raw admiration. 

"The ball is not finished for another two hours, and I can't already stand anyone else here. I swear, if any more men come to me with their meaningless talk and fairy-tale stories, I'll run away in an instant." The look in her eyes assures Link that she is, in fact, not lying.

"Why don't you just refuse?" He asks, eyeing her questioningly, though the smile hasn't left his lips.

"I prefer to give myself the satisfaction of running away."

All of a sudden, she sees, from the corner of her eye, an elegant man making his way to her. A charming smile that could trick plenty but not her forms on his lips, and suddenly Zelda can't bear being inside this room anymore.

With courage she did not know she possessed, Zelda approaches Link, almost face to face, and looks him straight in the eye. He doesn't move, but she senses the surprise radiating off of him when his body tenses slightly at her proximity. His eyes are gleaming with amusement, however, and Zelda feels courageous enough to speak.

"Link," she whispers, her eyes switching in between his. "Get me out of here." 

With a resolute nod and searching eyes, Link waits until the man is engulfed by the crowd to sneakingly escape the room, Zelda in tow.

They find themselves in a deserted hall, the music still blasting on the Sanctum, and Link holds one of her delicate hands in one of his gloved ones, running through the hallway, big smiles on their faces.

"Link, wait a second!" She hushes, and they come to a halt, only for Zelda to take off her shoes in disgust, throwing them to a random corner at the end of the corridor. When Link lifts his eyebrows in mild question, she is quick to retort. "I was not kidding when I said these shoes are awful." As if that would be a fitting answer.

It seems to be for Link, though, as he accepts her hand once again and they run for their lives, occasionally hiding behind a pillar when they sense someone coming. On those occasions, Link would hold her close to his chest, their breaths ceasing slightly as to not make a sound, and Zelda would listen to his beating heart, all the while trying to fight a smile as big as Death Mountain. Ever since Link opened up to her, they've been inseparable, and Zelda always found herself not believing that Link would talk freely to her now, but not to other people. She feels grateful that he chose her and she chose him.

They get outside, the moon high in the sky as silence engulfs the atmosphere around them. They stop close to one of the balconies, all panting breaths and messy hair.

"Goddesses... that was fun!" Zelda laughs, sitting down atop the rocky edge with Link right beside her. "We should've done that way earlier, don't you think?"

"That would prevent you from talking with more suitors, though." He retorts, mischief on his eyes.

"Oh... how terrible that would have been. I can't imagine not having spent time with such individuals." She answers, sarcasm evident in her tone.

They stare at each other, and as if everything is great in the world, they find themselves laughing their hearts out, enjoying such moment of bliss just a little while longer.

After their laughter dies down, Zelda turns around, her gaze lifting to the sky above. She seems immersed, somehow, as her eyes glint and follow every constellation she can make out in the clear sky, a soft smile spreading across her rosy cheeks. "It's been so long since I looked up, you know? At the stars, the moon. They're so pretty, and yet people often forget to look up at them." She rants, her voice merely a whisper. "Purah once told me that the stars we see might already have lost their light, you know?"

She turns her head to Link only to find him already looking at her, eyes curious.

"And the only reason they're still shining for us is that they're so far away, the darkness hasn't filled our skies yet. Isn't that... simply fascinating?"

"It really is, Princess." Link answers, his gaze lifting as well. "I like to think everyone has their little star. Their protector, the one thing that looks after them when all hope is lost." 

Zelda smiles, entertaining the thought of such a thing being true. However, her face falls slightly, her eyes now gazing down at her pale, delicate hands. "Do you... do you think I have one?" 

She looks up then, somewhat embarrassed of asking such a childish question to him, but at that moment, when he's looking down at her so,  _ so _ softly, she just can't seem to care.

Link smiles, turning fully towards her, appreciating how the moonlight makes her skin glow, how her green orbits are gleaming under her long eyelashes. "Everyone has their light, Princess." He starts, his voice soft. "Some may take longer to find it, but it  _ is _ there. And I'm sure you will find yours soon. Just don't give up." 

Zelda nods, her eyes shiny with tears she didn't know she had. And at that moment, as she stares at him with big green eyes, she's certain it won't take much longer for her to find her light.

For she is sure it stands right in front of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Leave any thoughts if you want, and I'll see you soon!


	4. All the Lights Couldn't Put Out the Dark Running Through My Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On nights that Link can't distinguish between reality and fiction, Zelda is sure to make him see what is right in front of him.
> 
> Or: Link has a nightmare and Zelda is there to comfort him.

It's close to midnight when Zelda hears it. 

She's wide awake in her small room in Kakariko Village studying some relics Link found while on his journey to save her, the soft moonlight outside the thin windows a comfort in her solitude. Impa is sound asleep downstairs, as well as Paya. After sealing the Calamity for good, Impa kindly provided the two heroes much needed rest in her humble house until they find their path. They need time, and now they have it. 

They've been at remote ease these past couple of months. No threats, no impending doom, no Ganon. So it catches her by surprise when a small whimper reaches her pointy ears. The emotions overtake her brain, immediately forgetting the ancient part atop her bed to investigate the source of the sound. Opening her bedroom door, the sound repeats, and Zelda is sure it's coming from Link's room, just down the corridor. He must be having a nightmare.

She paddles carefully as to not awake Impa and Paya, making her way to the front door of his room with only the light of a small lantern hanging from the ceiling. 

Now, the rational part of her brain screams that she  _ should _ knock. It's extremely impolite not to, right? Much more coming from  _ the _ Princess. The emotional part of her brain, however, reminds her that she is no longer a Princess and that her friend is in pain. So, pushing aside the manners she was taught 100 years ago, Zelda gingerly opens the wooden door, entering the room in a swift movement. 

Zelda crosses the distance to where Link is laying on his bed, and the sight is enough to shatter her heart into a million pieces.

Link is trembling, eyebrows furrowed in a way Zelda has never seen before. Beads of sweat form on his temples, only to follow his rounded cheeks until they hit his pillow. His eyes twitch as whimpers leave his shaking lips, and the way he's gripping the sheets close to his body is proof that he is desperately trying to find the comfort he doesn't have.

She approaches his figure with caution, not knowing what to do. Should she wake him? Or would he be spooked and get even more agitated? 

Kneeling by his side, Zelda allows herself to relish in the fact that he  _ is _ breathing. Not unmoving in her arms, all bloody and wounded. A strand of his blonde hair falls on his eyes, and without thought Zelda softly pushes it aside, her eyes soft but full of anguish upon seeing him so fragile, so vulnerable. 

However, the moment her hand touches his cheek, the whimpers stop, and his furrowed brows relax slightly, his eyes soften. Zelda is taken aback. 

Sure they've gotten close since the day the calamity ended. Sure they've been almost inseparable since then. But the fact that he calms down with her touch goes beyond any logic she might've had. Or... maybe it's simply because of human touch, not because it's  _ her _ touch.

Zelda lifts her hand from his skin, and the distress rushes to him once again.

"Link?" She whispers, brushing his bangs with delicate hands, manners be damned. "Wake up. It's okay." He shakes his head slightly, low murmurs that Zelda can't make out leaving his lips ceaselessly. "Link, you're okay. Just wake up." She shakes his shoulder slightly and his body jolts up, eyes wide and dark, panting breaths leaving his lungs quickly.

"Hey, it's alright. We're safe." Zelda comforts, not touching him to give him some space.

His head turns to her then, carefully, eyes searching for familiarity. When they land on hers, Link lets out a breath as big as Death Mountain. "Zelda? What-What are you doing here?"

Zelda smiles softly, understanding. "You were having a nightmare." She whispers.

He blinks, looking at her. "Oh... oh, I'm sorry, I... I didn't mean to wake you." Link murmurs, still detached, though his posture is less stiff than before.

"You didn't. I was still studying the relics you found." Upon his nod, Zelda watches him with earnest. "Are you okay?"

A sigh leaves his lips, a hand coming up to shake the nightmare out of his face. "Yeah, I just..." He stops, avoiding her gaze. "Sometimes I don't know what's real and what's made up anymore."

"What do you mean?" Zelda asks, genuinely intrigued. Link usually isn't the one to speak about his routine, much less about his emotions. But he's vulnerable now, and if he feels the need to talk, who is Zelda to stop him?

"I don't know..." Link taps the side of his bed, inviting Zelda to sit next to him instead of kneeling on the floor. "I don't remember everything from before, and that's okay. But the thing that freaks me out is not being sure if what I remember is real or just something I made up for my own comfort." He admits, his head lowering to hide his gaze from Zelda's.

"I can help you if you want. I... we weren't on good terms in the beginning but when we started getting along we shared some things. Maybe I can help you with what I know."

Link looks up, eyes hopeful despite the tears forming on them. Zelda only wishes she could comfort him, push the pain away, but sometimes you have to know pain to recognize happiness. "Please..."

"Alright. Let's see... How about you say something you're unsure of and I'll tell you if it's real or not?" Zelda suggests, happy that Link has managed a small smile, wholeheartedly nonetheless.

"My parents died when I was young, so I was raised by the forest's spirits."

"No. Your parents were always there for you. Your father was a knight, and your mother was always happy to see you and your sister together." Zelda answers, happy to see curiosity in his eyes.

"I had a sister?" He asks, eyes searching in hers.

"Yes, you did." Zelda smiles, and Link stares at her as if she's the only source of water in a hot desert. "Her name was Aryll. She was a few years younger than you, and she would chase you everywhere you went."

A ghost of a smile forms on his lips, his eyes soft while thinking his next question. "I became a knight because I pulled the sword."

"Hmm... I do know you were always keen to follow your father's steps, but I think that yes, that weighted the decision."

After several questions answered, Zelda notices with a warm heart that Link feels less burdened, more open, more relaxed. They've ended up sitting against the headboard, knees touching and hands brushing against the other. When no more terrors filled his brain, the two fell into a soothing silence, the sleep finally arriving at last.

Zelda rests her head on his shoulder, his head resting on hers right after. They're a little broken, yes, but they'll make it through. 

Sleep is almost consuming her when a murmur reaches her ears. "Your favorite flower..." He starts, voice filled with sleep. "Your favorite flower is the Silent Princess."

Maybe it's the certainty with which he says it, or maybe it's the fact that he remembers, but her heart fills with unexplainable warmth, a grin forming in her lips immediately that Zelda is sure will hurt her cheeks.

"Real."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you soon! Stay safe <3


End file.
